Adding pointers to RPG language. Was more based() %addr array questions!!! found my problem:

[Mel Rothman <mel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hans, I don't think "adding pointers to the language was a bad idea."

You should be taking credit, not blame, for adding them.

Many things that would be difficult or impossible to do without pointers are 
relatively easy to do with them.  For example: dynamically allocated storage, 
using many system APIs and C functions, navigating complex structures, handling 
blocks of data larger than 32767 bytes, etc.

rpg400-l messages indicate that many RPG IV programmers are using them to great 
advantage.


Mel Rothman
IBM eServer Custom Technology Center (eCTC), Rochester, Minnesota
http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/service/ctc/


boldt@ca.ibm.com wrote:
>
> Barbara wrote:
> >Rick, it's a "feature" of the ILE RPG compiler, that you don't have to
> >explicitly define a basing pointer.  It's not an accidental feature, but
> >it was misguided in my unofficial-not-speaking-for-IBM opinion.
>
> Well, that was probably my fault.  From under my own unoffical-
> not-speaking-for-IBM hat (which I normally wear anyways), I regret
> adding a couple of specific features to the RPG IV language.  The
> more I think about it, the more I think adding pointers to the
> language was a bad idea.  Pointers belong in systems programming
> languages, not languages intended for application programming.
> Pointers are basically the "goto" of data structures.
>
> Cheers!  Hans
>
> Hans Boldt, ILE RPG Development, IBM Toronto Lab, boldt@ca.ibm.com
>